1775 – George Washington Takes Command of the Continental Army Washington formally assumes command of the newly formed Continental Army at Cambridge, Massachusetts.
1863 – Battle of Gettysburg Concludes Pickett’s Charge fails, marking the “High Water Mark of the Confederacy” and a decisive Union victory.
1886 – Birth of Raymond A. Spruance Future U.S. Navy admiral whose leadership at Midway helped turn the tide of the Pacific War.
1890 – Idaho Becomes a State Idaho is admitted as the 43rd state of the Union.
1952 – SS United States Begins Maiden Voyage The American ocean liner sets a transatlantic speed record that still stands for a passenger ship.
1962 – Birth of Tom Cruise Award-winning actor born in Syracuse, New York.
1988 – USS Vincennes Shoots Down Iran Air Flight 655 The tragic incident kills all 290 people aboard during heightened Persian Gulf tensions.
1996 – Stone of Scone Returned to Scotland The historic coronation stone is returned to Edinburgh after nearly 700 years in England.
1054 – Crab Nebula Supernova Appears A brilliant stellar explosion is recorded by Chinese and Arab astronomers.
1776 – Declaration of Independence Adopted The Continental Congress approves America’s founding document.
1802 – West Point Opens The United States Military Academy begins educating Army officers.
1826 – Death of Thomas Jefferson The principal author of the Declaration dies on its 50th anniversary.
1826 – Death of John Adams America’s second president dies the same day as Jefferson.
1863 – Fall of Vicksburg Union victory secures control of the Mississippi River.
1863 – Lee Withdraws from Gettysburg Confederate forces retreat to Virginia following their defeat.
1883 – Birth of Rube Goldberg Cartoonist famous for creating absurdly complicated machines.
1918 – Execution of Czar Nicholas II and Family
Russia’s last imperial family is murdered by the Bolsheviks.
1775 – Olive Branch Petition Approved Congress makes one final attempt to reconcile with Britain before independence.
1937 – SPAM Introduced Hormel launches the canned meat product that becomes a household name.
1941 – German Army Reaches the Dnieper River Operation Barbarossa continues its rapid advance into the Soviet Union.
1943 – Battle of Kursk Begins The largest tank battle in history opens on the Eastern Front.
1946 – Modern Bikini Debuts The swimsuit is introduced in Paris, revolutionizing swimwear fashion.
1950 – Battle of Osan Task Force Smith becomes the first U.S. unit to engage North Korean forces.
1996 – Birth of Dolly the Sheep The world’s first cloned mammal is born.
1189 – Richard the Lionheart Crowned King Richard I begins his reign as King of England.
1415 – Jan Hus Executed The Czech religious reformer is burned at the stake for heresy.
1535 – Sir Thomas More Executed Henry VIII’s former chancellor is beheaded for refusing to accept the king as head of the Church.
1917 – Capture of Aqaba Arab forces led by T.E. Lawrence seize the strategic Ottoman port.
1946 – Birth of George W. Bush The future 43rd President of the United States is born.
1947 – AK-47 Enters Production The Soviet assault rifle begins mass production.
2009 – Death of Robert McNamara Former U.S. Secretary of Defense dies at age 93.
1798 – Quasi-War with France Escalates Congress voids treaties with France, increasing naval tensions.
1846 – U.S. Occupies Monterey and Yerba Buena American forces secure key California settlements during the Mexican-American War.
1863 – First Federal Military Draft Authorized Congress institutes conscription to replenish Union forces.
1865 – Lincoln Conspirators Executed Four people convicted in President Lincoln’s assassination are hanged.
1930 – Construction of Boulder (Hoover) Dam Begins One of America’s greatest engineering projects gets underway.
1967 – Death of Vivien Leigh The Academy Award-winning actress best known as Scarlett O’Hara dies.
1099 – First Crusade Nears Jerusalem Crusaders complete a religious procession before the final assault on the city.
1839 – Birth of John D. Rockefeller Future Standard Oil founder and philanthropist is born.
1853 – Commodore Perry Arrives in Japan The “Black Ships” begin opening Japan to Western trade.
1933 – Birth of Marty Feldman British comedian and actor is born.
1951 – Paris Celebrates 2,000 Years France marks the ancient city’s long history.
1960 – Francis Gary Powers Charged with Espionage The captured U-2 pilot is formally accused by the Soviet Union.
1789 – French National Assembly Becomes Constituent Assembly Revolutionary legislators assert sole authority to write a new constitution.
1846 – Retrocession of Alexandria to Virginia Authorized Congress approves returning land south of the Potomac to Virginia.
1868 – 14th Amendment Ratified Citizenship and equal protection are guaranteed under the Constitution.
1896 – William Jennings Bryan Delivers “Cross of Gold” Speech The famous address propels Bryan to the Democratic presidential nomination.
1943 – Operation Husky Begins Allied forces invade Sicily, opening the Italian Campaign.
1944 – Saipan Declared Secure U.S. forces complete one of the Pacific War’s most costly island campaigns.
1947 – Birth of O.J. Simpson Former football star and actor is born.
1962 – Starfish Prime Nuclear Test A high-altitude nuclear detonation creates one of history’s largest electromagnetic pulse events.
Hey, Rocky, dude, maybe you have been hit in the head a time or two too many thinking this "rag"…
Isn't this site run by a liberal democrat? I'd be very surprised if not because this rag reads like commie…
He is a liberal democrat. There is no need to engage with them any longer. They have shown the world…
Hi Tom! Just checking - do you know the difference between Africa and Asia? Who is dim?
I hope and pray you and yours are well! The CCM had this from me this morning and I have…